HR & Engagement Writer
1
The Best Idea Management Software for Businesses in 2024
Contents
8 min read
Published: Apr 25, 2023
Revised on: Mar 1, 2024
Here’s our curated shortlist and our reasons for liking each company; please click into each company to get more details:
- Monday.com
- Easy to use and intuitive interface. Many reviewers mentioned how user-friendly Monday.com is.
- Visual project management. Reviewers liked the ability to visualize workflows and track progress through boards and timelines.
- Enhanced team collaboration. Monday.com facilitates task assignment, communication, and real-time updates to improve collaboration.
- Customizable boards and workflows. Users appreciated the ability to fully customize boards and automations to match their needs.
- Centralized hub. Storing all project information and files in one centralized place made managing projects easier.
- ClickUp
- Flexible and customizable features allow users to tailor ClickUp to their specific needs and workflows.
- Intuitive and user-friendly interface makes it easy to navigate and manage tasks and projects.
- Robust collaboration tools like comments, chat, and assign mentions facilitate team communication and coordination.
- Multiple task views like list, board, Gantt chart provide flexibility to organize tasks.
- Integration with common tools like Google Drive, Slack improves workflows.
- Assembly
- Easy to use and intuitive interface. Many reviews mentioned Assembly is simple, easy to navigate, and user-friendly.
- Good customer support. Reviews mentioned Assembly's support team is responsive in resolving issues.
- Rewards redemption process is smooth. Users liked the gift card and other reward options that can be redeemed with points.
- Integrates well with Slack and Microsoft Teams. The integration makes giving recognition quick and seamless.
- Good for employee recognition and engagement. Reviews highlighted Assembly's peer-to-peer recognition features that help boost employee morale.
- Miro
- Easy to use and intuitive interface. Many reviews mentioned how user-friendly Miro's interface is, even for non-technical users.
- Real-time collaboration features. Allows multiple users to work on the same board simultaneously, facilitating teamwork and brainstorming sessions.
- Extensive template library. Miro provides many pre-built templates for workflows, diagrams, project management etc. This saves time compared to creating everything from scratch.
- Flexible and customizable. Users highlighted Miro's versatility to support various use cases from ideation to project management. It's also highly customizable.
- Integrations with other tools. Miro integrates smoothly with platforms like Trello, Jira, Slack etc. helping to streamline workflows.
- Trello
- Intuitive and easy to use interface. Many reviews praised how simple Trello is to get started with and how the drag-and-drop functionality makes managing tasks incredibly convenient.
- Flexibility and customization. Users like that they can customize workflows, boards, lists, cards, labels, etc. to suit their specific needs. Trello can be adapted for personal or business use.
- Collaboration features. Reviews highlighted the ability to assign tasks, share boards, leave comments, and get notifications as key features that enable teams to work together seamlessly.
- Integration with other apps. The ability to connect Trello with tools like Slack, Google Drive, Dropbox, etc. enhances workflows and productivity.
- Free plan with robust features. Even the free version provides enough functionality for many users' needs, especially smaller teams and personal use.
Ideas are a dime a dozen. I have them; you have them; some random person reading this post over your shoulder also has them. However, the quality of ideas, and what we choose to do with them, is another story entirely. That’s where idea management software shines.
Idea management software is any tool that helps generate, develop, and implement ideas to their fullest potential.
This looks like:
- A guide for sourcing ideas, whether in-house or from the public
- A way to understand, define, and refine the problem statement the ideas are solving
- A track for pushing a train of ideas from brainstorming to a first draft or MVP
- A system for taking the MVP to a full-fledged functional product or change
Treating idea management as a skill that can be practiced and improved upon can unlock many opportunities for your company. Introducing structure to your thinking processes opens up a wealth of creative ideas, accelerates development, and shoots up innovation levels.
What Is Idea Management Software?
Idea management software is a digital platform designed to facilitate the collection, organization, evaluation, and implementation of ideas within an organization or a community. It serves as a centralized system where individuals can submit their ideas, collaborate on them, and track their progress throughout the innovation process.
Key features of idea management software often include:
- Idea Submission: Allows users to submit their ideas easily, often with descriptions, attachments, or multimedia elements.
- Collaboration Tools: Enables collaboration among team members or a community to refine, discuss, and enhance ideas through comments, feedback, and discussions.
- Evaluation and Ranking: Provides tools for evaluating, voting, or ranking ideas based on criteria set by the organization, helping prioritize the most promising concepts.
- Tracking and Monitoring: Allows tracking the progress of ideas as they move through different stages of development, from conception to implementation.
- Reporting and Analytics: Generate reports and analytics to assess the performance of the idea management process, identify trends, and measure the impact of implemented ideas.
- Integration: Often integrates with other tools and platforms used within the organization, such as project management software or communication tools.
What Is the Difference Between Idea Management and Innovation Management?
Idea management and innovation management are closely related but differ in scope and focus. Idea management primarily deals with the collection, evaluation, and organization of ideas generated within an organization or a community. It involves the processes and systems put in place to gather ideas, often leveraging crowdsourcing or internal brainstorming sessions. On the other hand, innovation management encompasses a broader spectrum, incorporating not just the ideation phase but also the execution, development, and implementation of those ideas into tangible products, services, or processes. It involves the entire lifecycle of innovation, from concept to market, encompassing strategies, resources, and structures necessary to nurture and bring about impactful changes within an organization. While idea management fuels the initial stage of generating ideas, innovation management oversees the entire journey of turning those ideas into valuable outcomes.
How to Implement Idea Management?
Implementing idea management involves creating a structured process to collect, evaluate, and implement ideas. Tools like ClickUp, Trello, or Miro can help. Start by defining clear submission channels, use voting and prioritization features, and establish a workflow to track ideas from conception to execution. Regularly review and communicate progress to encourage ongoing participation and engagement.
Why Is Idea Management Important?
Idea management plays a pivotal role in fostering innovation and driving organizational growth. It serves as a structured approach to collecting, evaluating, and implementing ideas from various sources within a company, encouraging a culture of creativity and problem-solving. By harnessing the collective intelligence of employees and stakeholders, idea management enables the identification of new opportunities, process improvements, and disruptive concepts that can lead to competitive advantages. Moreover, it cultivates engagement, empowerment, and a sense of ownership among team members, ultimately enhancing collaboration and driving the evolution of products, services, and strategies in alignment with market demands.
Top Idea Management Tools for 2024
Let's explore the best idea management tools to take your innovation efforts to the next level. With our help, you’ll be empowered to transform ordinary ideas into quality ideas that breed innovation.
Pricing
$8.00 per user/month
- Free version
- Free trial available
- No Seat Minimum
If you think “show, not tell” is the best way to share ideas, then Monday.com is perfect for you. With this idea management software, your team can instantly list, weigh, and work on ideas to see which are worth keeping. But that’s not all. With Monday.com’s ready-to-use templates, you can start managing ideas in seconds. If you’d rather DIY, there are resources to help you build your custom idea management platform, no matter how niche.
Monday’s Star Idea Management Features:
- File Sharing: Monday.com allows users to share files seamlessly right from the project board
- Idea Management: Thanks to Monday.com’s mind-mapping tool, teams can store relevant ideas and information in one place. The best part is that retrieving old ideas is as simple as clicking the search button
- Collaboration and Project Management: As an idea management system, Monday.com provides a virtual whiteboard where team members can collaborate simultaneously. It also provides a project management tool for converting these ideas into action points. This two-in-one feature helps to increase efficiency
- Integrations: This idea management software supports over 40 third-party apps, so everything you need to bring your idea to life is at your fingertips
- Try a full demo here
Pros
- Easy to use and intuitive interface. Many reviewers mentioned how user-friendly Monday.com is.
- Visual project management. Reviewers liked the ability to visualize workflows and track progress through boards and timelines.
- Enhanced team collaboration. Monday.com facilitates task assignment, communication, and real-time updates to improve collaboration.
- Customizable boards and workflows. Users appreciated the ability to fully customize boards and automations to match their needs.
- Centralized hub. Storing all project information and files in one centralized place made managing projects easier.
Cons
- Steep learning curve. Some reviewers found the initial setup and learning process time-consuming and complex.
- Limitations of free plan. Key features like automations are only available on paid plans.
- Integration issues. Some users faced challenges integrating Monday.com with other tools they use.
- Slow performance. A few reviewers complained about occasional lagging or platform slowness with heavy usage.
- Price. Monday.com's pricing model makes it cost prohibitive for larger teams to use all features.
2
ClickUp
Pricing
$7.00 per user/month
- Free version
- No Seat Minimum
ClickUp dubs itself the “one app to replace them all.” While we’re uncertain what “all” means here, we can confirm that ClickUp makes one great idea management software. Their platform is designed to help teams across industries brainstorm, gather, track, and collaborate on ideas, all in one place. ClickUp has over 15 unique ways for teams to visualize ideas and brainstorming sessions directly connected to their workflows. This means that whether your team is in-person, hybrid, or even remote, there’s a ClickUp use case for everyone.
ClickUp’s Star Idea Management Features:
- Idea Management: ClickUp’s visual canvas allows teams to collaborate on ideas and workflows in real time. As an idea management tool, it brings ideas to life by breaking them into trackable tasks
- Time Management: Clickup has tools for time tracking, estimates, and reports, which helps to improve a team’s efficiency
- Customization: ClickUp can be customized to fit a range of projects, which makes it perfect for not only idea management but also innovation management and project management
- Progress Tracking: ClickUp provides analytics and reporting features that can help teams track their progress and identify areas for improvement
- Try a full demo here
Pros
- Flexible and customizable features allow users to tailor ClickUp to their specific needs and workflows.
- Intuitive and user-friendly interface makes it easy to navigate and manage tasks and projects.
- Robust collaboration tools like comments, chat, and assign mentions facilitate team communication and coordination.
- Multiple task views like list, board, Gantt chart provide flexibility to organize tasks.
- Integration with common tools like Google Drive, Slack improves workflows.
Cons
- Steep learning curve due to overwhelm from number of features and configuration options.
- Occasional bugs, glitches and performance issues hamper user experience.
- Mobile app lacks some functionality compared to web/desktop.
- Limitations of free version like number of tasks, features restricted.
- Difficulty finding specific help documentation among extensive support content.
3
Assembly
Pricing
$2.80 per user/month
- Free version
- Free trial available
- Seat Minimum: 1 User
How does an informed team spend their time? According to Assembly, they spend less time searching and more time innovating. This seems plausible, given that Assembly comes with features like:
Assembly’s Star Idea Management Features:
- Templates and Workflows: Assembly’s ready-to-use idea management templates help companies generate and evaluate ideas that increase growth and revenue
- Idea Management: Assembly’s communications and collaboration tools provide a centralized platform for capturing and managing ideas across the organization. These easy-to-use communication tools ensure that companies “maximize internal knowledge and creativity to improve [upon] existing processes”
- Collaboration and Feedback: Assembly’s collaboration tools allow real-time feedback, enabling rapid iteration while carrying everyone along
Pros
- Easy to use and intuitive interface. Many reviews mentioned Assembly is simple, easy to navigate, and user-friendly.
- Good customer support. Reviews mentioned Assembly's support team is responsive in resolving issues.
- Rewards redemption process is smooth. Users liked the gift card and other reward options that can be redeemed with points.
- Integrates well with Slack and Microsoft Teams. The integration makes giving recognition quick and seamless.
- Good for employee recognition and engagement. Reviews highlighted Assembly's peer-to-peer recognition features that help boost employee morale.
Cons
- Limitations in analytics and reporting features. Some reviews wanted more detailed analytics and user statistics.
- Creating flows and automations can be tricky. Reviews noted workflows and automations are sometimes hard to setup.
- Limited customization options for recognitions. Users wanted more ways to customize recognitions with images/GIFs.
- Lack of mobile apps earlier on. Reviews mentioned lack of mobile apps made it hard to use when not by a computer.
- Confusion due to branding changes. Reviews noted frequent name changes of the reward units was confusing initially.
4
Miro
Pricing
$8.00 per user/month
- Free version
- Free trial available
- No Seat Minimum
We can’t talk about idea management software without mentioning Miro. As an idea management platform, Miro allows teams to ideate, collaborate, and create under one roof. It achieves this through digital whiteboards, flow charts, mind maps, and other visual aids. As far as idea management apps go, Miro is one of the best for “taking ideas from better to best.”
Miro’s Star Idea Management Features:
- Online Brainstorming and Ideation: Miro provides a digital canvas where teams can unleash their creative ideas and work together in real time from any location. With this idea management platform, teams can think in many formats, including sticky notes, mind maps, whiteboards, and more
- Diagramming and Visualization: With Miro, teams can create visual representations of ideas, making communicating complex information easier. In addition, Teams can use Miro's templates and frameworks to map out important information, identify areas for improvement, and spot opportunities for innovation
- Idea Management Platform: Miro provides a central database where team members can understand the reason behind decisions, steer the ideation process across the organization, and move ideas across the finish line
Pros
- Easy to use and intuitive interface. Many reviews mentioned how user-friendly Miro's interface is, even for non-technical users.
- Real-time collaboration features. Allows multiple users to work on the same board simultaneously, facilitating teamwork and brainstorming sessions.
- Extensive template library. Miro provides many pre-built templates for workflows, diagrams, project management etc. This saves time compared to creating everything from scratch.
- Flexible and customizable. Users highlighted Miro's versatility to support various use cases from ideation to project management. It's also highly customizable.
- Integrations with other tools. Miro integrates smoothly with platforms like Trello, Jira, Slack etc. helping to streamline workflows.
Cons
- Steep learning curve. The extensive feature set can be overwhelming for new users. Takes time to learn how to best utilize all of Miro's capabilities.
- Performance issues. Some users faced lag and slow loading times when working with large, complex boards.
- Limited customization of templates. While templates are helpful, some users wanted more ability to customize them to their needs.
- Confusing pricing model. Especially for larger teams, Miro's pricing structure was seen as expensive and confusing by some reviewers.
- No offline access. Miro relies on internet connectivity, which makes it difficult to use in areas with poor connection.
5
Trello
Pricing
$5.00 per user/month
- Free version
- Free trial available
- No Seat Minimum
Words can’t describe Trello's success, but numbers can. It’s a solid 2,000,000 teams worldwide who use Trello to get more done. The figure is unsurprising. You see, with Trello’s triple-threat combination of lists, boards, and cards, companies can move ideas from start to finish in the blink of an eye. Trello also comes equipped with different views, automation, and templates that make the ideation process as natural as breathing.
Trello’s Star Idea Management Features:
- Idea Management: Trello’s list, boards, and cards are useful for brainstorming and moving from ideas to action in seconds
- Efficiency: This idea management app has ready-to-use templates, so your team isn’t building from scratch
- Tracking and Reporting: Different views to help you monitor who’s doing what, what needs to be done, and when tasks are due
Pros
- Intuitive and easy to use interface. Many reviews praised how simple Trello is to get started with and how the drag-and-drop functionality makes managing tasks incredibly convenient.
- Flexibility and customization. Users like that they can customize workflows, boards, lists, cards, labels, etc. to suit their specific needs. Trello can be adapted for personal or business use.
- Collaboration features. Reviews highlighted the ability to assign tasks, share boards, leave comments, and get notifications as key features that enable teams to work together seamlessly.
- Integration with other apps. The ability to connect Trello with tools like Slack, Google Drive, Dropbox, etc. enhances workflows and productivity.
- Free plan with robust features. Even the free version provides enough functionality for many users' needs, especially smaller teams and personal use.
Cons
- Limitations of free plan. The free plan has restrictions like a cap on the number of boards, attachments size, etc. which can be limiting for larger teams.
- Steep learning curve initially. Some users found Trello confusing at first and it took time to learn how to best organize boards and workflows.
- Can get visually overwhelming. As the number of boards/cards increases, the visual interface can become cluttered and hard to navigate.
- Lack of advanced features. Users noted a lack of time tracking, resource management, reporting, etc. for handling complex projects.
- Performance issues. Some reviews mentioned occasional slowness in loading or syncing, especially with larger volumes of data.
6
Asana
Pricing
$10.99 per user/month
- Free version
- Free trial available
- No Seat Minimum
As the saying goes: ideas don’t work unless you do. Doing the work, in this case, refers to adopting a tool like Asana. As an idea management app, Asana helps teams to create ideas, collaborate on them, prioritize them, and set deadlines for their execution. Basically, it helps to manage the end-to-end process from ideation to shipping. In addition, Asana has powerful features, like task lists, reports, goal-setting templates, and survey tools, for organizations interested in user feedback and ideation.
Asana’s Star Idea Management Features:
- Idea Management: Asana provides a platform for team members to brainstorm, discuss, refine, and track ideas under one roof
- Innovation Management: Asana’s features, such as calendars and timelines, help teams stay on track, thereby increasing efficiency from ideation to implementation
- Workflow Automation: As an idea management software, Asana has automation for assigning tasks, sending notifications, or updating project status based on specific triggers. This, in turn, helps to save time and ensure that critical tasks are not overlooked
- Integrations: Asana allows seamless integration with robust idea management tools like Miro
Pros
- User-friendly and intuitive interface
- Powerful features for task management and project tracking
- Enables easy collaboration through task assignment, file sharing, and real-time communication
- Customizable workflows and views like Kanban boards and Gantt charts
- Integrations with other tools like Slack, Google Drive, Dropbox etc.
Cons
- Steep learning curve, especially for beginners
- Can be overwhelming with extensive notifications
- Limitations in advanced reporting capabilities
- Expensive pricing plans for larger teams
- Lack of robust time tracking and resource management features
7
Aha!
Pricing
$9.00 per user/month
- Free trial available
- No Seat Minimum
One of the biggest challenges with brainstorming is knowing how to capture all the value being produced. What starts as an ideation session between two or more people balloons as more people join in. Without someone structuring these sessions, it’s easy to lose the value being created. That’s where an idea management software like Aha! steps in. Featuring two major idea management software, Aha! Road map and Aha! Ideas, this product allows you to gather ideas, give feedback, and gather comments from relevant stakeholders. It also integrates with popular and useful third-party tools, extending its use case.
Aha’s Star Idea Management Features:
- Aha! Ideas: This idea management software provides tools for collating feedback from the target audience and organizing ideas. It also comes with whiteboard features and custom search and integrates with 15+ tools
- Aha! Roadmaps: Aha! Roadmap has tools for capturing ideas, visualizing goals, managing dependencies, monitoring progress, and capturing real-time feedback
Pros
- Great roadmapping and release planning features. Allows linking strategy to execution.
- Flexible and customizable to fit different workflows and processes.
- Robust integration capabilities with other tools like Jira and Azure DevOps.
- Powerful reporting functions and ability to create presentations. Improves visibility.
- Idea portals facilitate gathering feedback and feature requests from internal and external stakeholders.
Cons
- Steep learning curve due to extensive features and configurability. Can be overwhelming initially.
- Navigation and some UI elements could be more intuitive.
- Pricing model can be expensive, especially for smaller teams.
- Limited mobile capabilities currently.
- Integration with Jira can be finicky or limited at times.
Pricing
$5.75 per user/month
- Free version
- Free trial available
- Seat Minimum: 10 Users
Confluence is a powerful knowledge management software for companies looking to discover information and solve problems quickly. Created by Atlassian, the company responsible for Jira and Trello, Confluence is designed to boost innovation through collaboration. Confluence has dedicated pages where team members can publish ideas and invite colleagues to comment and collaborate in real-time. As an idea management platform, Confluence has brainstorming templates that provide structures for team members to share ideas freely and creatively. Users can also integrate this template with visual platforms like Mural to share these ideas with a broader audience.
Confluence’s Star Idea Management Features:
- File Management: Confluence provides a single source of truth that “harnesses your team’s collective knowledge into easy-to-find answers for everyone.”
- Idea Management: Confluence has dedicated pages for sharing ideas through meeting notes, reports, and product requirements. You can also provide feedback by commenting or editing directly on documents
Pros
- Easy collaboration and knowledge sharing - Confluence makes it easy for teams to collaborate on content and share knowledge in one centralized platform.
- Integration with other tools - Seamless integration with other Atlassian products like Jira streamlines workflows.
- Content organization - Confluence provides ways to organize content in spaces, pages, and hierarchies that make information easy to find.
- Customization - The platform is highly customizable with themes, templates, and add-ons to fit specific needs.
- User-friendly interface - Most reviews mentioned Confluence's intuitive user interface and easy content creation.
Cons
- Steep learning curve - Many noted Confluence has a steep learning curve, especially for new users.
- Clunky formatting - Reviews cited issues with formatting content and working with tables.
- Slow performance - Several reviews mentioned slow load times and laggy editing, especially with large pages.
- Confusing navigation - Finding content can be difficult with confusing organization and search.
- Expensive pricing - Many noted Confluence's pricing plans are expensive, especially for smaller teams.
Conclusion
In a landscape where innovation fuels success, the search for the ideal idea management software becomes paramount for businesses aiming to thrive. This comprehensive exploration of the top contenders in idea management software unveils a diverse array of tools, each offering unique features tailored to specific business needs. From fostering collaboration to streamlining idea generation and execution, these platforms stand as invaluable assets in harnessing creativity within teams. As businesses navigate an increasingly competitive market, the utilization of such software emerges not just as an option but as an imperative strategy to drive innovation, enhance productivity, and secure a leading edge in an ever-evolving business ecosystem.
